Tap this weekend or wait?

[mcsap]

Debating whether to tap in the hilltowns this weekend or wait till next. Monday and Tuesday weather look like something might happen, but then cold after that. Anybody tapped or planning on it?

[sfsshadow]

we put in 2500, this week. sap was just dribbling. going to finish up this week. still have to set up 2 vac. pumps and 4 releasers.

[Maplesedge]

Why not? Tap a few anyway and see what you get.

[skillet]

We are waiting for some of the 2' of snow to melt down. Had the jubilee out today and it struggled to move it self. The tractor would not move if the trailer with 200 gal of sap on it was hooked up. Will most likley tap next weekend (march 5th). Our thinking is we can make the same amount of syrup in 2 good weeks than 4 so-so weeks. Looking to have fresh holes during prime time. Not sure how quickly the holes dry up but it never runs better than when the hole is first drilled. Make the first run count. I learned my lesson last year about tapping early. Wait it out look for the highs in the 50's. Not the upper 30's. We only do 85 taps on buckets. Our set up is a outside block arch so good weather for boiling is key.

[mcsap]

Decided to put up about half of the buckets today, which is only 30 or so. Supposed to snow tonight and tomorrow AM, so I held off on the roadside trees. Will do those after the snowplows finish their rounds so I don't have to cut my steps into the snowbanks twice. Even though it was only around freezing all day, a couple of reds that were in good sun were dripping a little when I tapped them.

[mcsap]

Skillet, I'm an outside boiler too, so keep a close eye on the weather myself. Hope to build a shack this summer and finally get under cover. I would likely have waited until next weekend, too, but am going to miss the following weekend with a trip out of town. Not sure what this week will bring, maybe some sap, maybe not. I'm in a cold spot, too, so even if the forecast is promising, it doesn't always translate to sap here. Good luck to you!
John

[mcsap]

Forecast sure is changeable, now it is looking cold in our neck of the woods until Saturday. Oh well, got the buckets out anyway.

[Ed K]

All taped,just short of 400 this yr.It was 42 here but I didn't see sap moving down the lines. There's about 20 gals in the tanks,not even enough to fill the pans let alone boil.
Still hoping for a great season.

[mcsap]

Still waiting for a decent run. Checked buckets yesterday AM on the way to work, many were 1/3 to 1/2 full from Tuesday, but frozen. Figured we might get some sap yesterday after it warmed up, but guess it never did. When I got home everything was still iced up. Most not frozen solid so I was able to empty them, now I've got a barrel full of ice blocks.